Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 204 Completion Reward: Celestial Immortal Ascension (4k2)

The Six Doors actually dispatched one of the Four Great Constables, the Chief Constable, to make such a big fuss just because 500,000 taels of tax silver had been robbed, and Feng Shaoting's behavior was too abnormal.

As the prefect of a prefecture, such a shocking case in his jurisdiction should have been a great trouble. Logically, it should have caused him a lot of headaches, but it shouldn't have filled him with anticipation either.

It seemed that for him, this case was more like a tremendous opportunity, making him both excited and nervous, unable to sit still.

What exactly is the nature of this case that caused this usually composed prefect to lose his composure like this?

Moreover, in principle, given that such a major case had occurred in Yanzhou, Feng Shaoting should have relied heavily on Li Fu, the constable who had solved numerous major cases, discussed the matter extensively, and entrusted him with important responsibilities.

But Feng Shaoting didn't say a word. Li Fu felt that he wasn't very interested in catching the murderer. He didn't seem to care much about whether he could catch the murderer or not. Instead, he was more concerned about other things, such as knowing something about the murderer.

Li Fu did not press the matter further, knowing that since Feng Shaoting had not spoken of it, he would not easily reveal it.

As soon as he reached the front corridor, Chen Tao hurriedly came to greet him, his face showing some confusion and unease.

"Boss, you asked me to investigate Cao Mufeng's whereabouts. I just went to check the relevant files and prison records, and the result—the result is a bit strange."

"How is it strange?"

Li went to inquire.

"According to the rules, any prisoner who is admitted to prison, from admission, interrogation, sentencing, release, and even—even death—..."

All prison breaks should be meticulously documented and filed in the case file.

But Cao Mufeng's file, after the record of his capture and imprisonment in the Yanzhou Iron Prison, just goes... it disappears.

Li Fu frowned slightly. "Was it lost later?"

"It's not lost." Chen Tao shook his head. "The files are intact, but the back is blank."

The previous records are clear, but there is no record of what happened to him afterwards, whether he was killed, released, or transferred to another place.

It was as if—this person had vanished into thin air after entering the iron cage.

This situation is extremely unusual.

Cao Mufeng committed a serious crime of kidnapping an official of the imperial court, which would have resulted in corresponding official correspondence and records. It is impossible for such a blank to be left in the local case files.

To find out Cao Mufeng's whereabouts, simply reviewing the case files is not enough.

"It seems I'll have to go to Yanzhou Iron Prison myself and ask Ma Shixiong and the others."

Li Fudao said, "They are the prison guards. If Cao Mufeng was really taken away, they couldn't possibly be unaware of it."

"What the boss says is true." Chen Tao nodded. "Shall I go with you?"

"No need. You stay in the yamen and organize more files and information related to this case, big or small. I need them all."

"Yes, boss."

After Li finished speaking, he turned and headed to the iron prison in Yanzhou.

The military officers guarding the iron prison, including Ma Shixiong, were extremely grateful to Li Fu for saving their positions and lives after Li Fu turned the tide during the last escape of the Iron Stream King. They were incredibly attentive to him.

Hearing that Li Fu had accomplished something extraordinary in Zhongnan Mountain, they held him in even greater awe.

"Officer Li, what brings you to this iron prison? Please, please come in!"

Upon hearing that Li was coming to the iron prison, the two men on duty rushed out to greet him. Zhu Bo stepped forward, cupped his hands, and spoke excitedly.

"These past few days, the whole martial arts world has been buzzing with the news that you single-handedly exposed the Quanzhen Sect's massive conspiracy to collude with the Mongol Yuan Dynasty on Zhongnan Mountain, and even defeated the Tibetan National Preceptor and the traitorous leader of the Quanzhen Sect by fighting two opponents at once!"

It's exhilarating to hear! As fellow officials in Yanzhou, my brothers and I have felt incredibly honored these past few days!

Even Ma Shixiong, who is not good with words, spoke very sincerely.

"Regarding the Iron Stream King incident, it was thanks to Officer Li's intervention that we managed to save our jobs and our lives. We will always be grateful for that kindness!"

"You flatter me. It was just my duty, nothing more than luck."

I've come today to inquire about someone from you two.

"Officer Li, you're too kind. It's all thanks to you that we're still alive."

"Don't worry about asking questions, just ask away! We'll answer everything we know!"

Zhu Bo patted his chest and said.

"Do either of you know the current whereabouts of Cao Mufeng, the one I captured and imprisoned here who once kidnapped Magistrate Hong and used sleeping potions?"

Li Fu asked.

Upon hearing the name Cao Mufeng, Ma Shixiong and Zhu Bo's smiles faded slightly, and they exchanged a glance.

Zhu Bo glanced around and lowered his voice.

"Officer Li, if anyone asks, we will keep our mouths shut. We cannot break the rules."

But you are our benefactor, so naturally we cannot hide it from you.

Ma Shixiong said, "That Cao Mufeng was taken away not long after he was imprisoned."

It was someone from the Six Doors (a government agency), who came with official documents to make the request.

"The Six Doors?" Li Fu raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what this is about? Is it a separate interrogation, or—"

"I heard from private sources that they've been offered amnesty."

Zhu Bo interjected, "This kind of thing isn't actually that unusual."

Some notorious bandits, or those with special skills or knowledge of special secrets, were recruited by the Six Doors if they were useful to the imperial court.

I heard that Cao Mufeng's sect has a unique and unparalleled mastery of the magic potion.

It is said that someone from the Six Doors spoke with him, saying that if he was willing to hand over the formula and work for the Six Doors, he could be exempted from the crime of kidnapping an official of the imperial court.

"They were recruited by the Six Doors?"

Li Fu seemed to be deep in thought.

In this way, besides the Jinglong Society, which might have obtained the recipe from Dai Yue before his death, another group known about the immortal's secret formula would be the Six Doors.

A thought quietly crept into his mind.

Even if someone else knew that the Six Doors might have powerful figures, they would find it extremely difficult to connect the thieves who robbed taxes with the Six Doors.

But Li Fu was different. He always made bold guesses when solving cases and arresting criminals. He suspected everyone, especially since he had seen people in government who gave up their good official positions to become thieves.

They even discovered that the current official had tacitly approved or even instructed his eunuchs to embezzle funds and deceive the public, resulting in the starvation of hundreds of thousands of disaster victims.

Furthermore, considering that Feng Shaoting seems to know some inside information about the murderer in this case, and is not enthusiastic about apprehending the killer—

"If the Six Doors are indeed behind the robbery of tax silver, the waters involved are probably much deeper than they appear."

Who could instruct the Six Doors to impersonate thieves and rob tax silver? What was their purpose? What secrets were involved that made it worthwhile for the Six Doors to carry out this scheme "secretly"?

The Six Doors' investigation of cases has always been a privilege granted by the emperor. It's considered good if they don't destroy families and wipe out entire clans in the process. Which sect in the martial arts world doesn't fear them? When have they ever been so humiliated and cautious?

The annual tax revenue of Yanzhou was 500,000 taels of silver. In broad daylight, someone robbed it. For some reason, the imperial court made a big fuss about this case and attached it to it in an unusually serious manner.

The case is shrouded in mystery, with suspicions that an official in disguise is posing as a thief and plotting a scheme.

Please act prudently, investigate the truth, and prevent the innocent from being wronged and the good from being harmed. Find out the truth of the whole case, unravel the conspiracy, and quell the storm.

Completion reward: Ascend to Immortality from Beyond the Heavens (Grand Mastery).

The celestial script appeared before my eyes; it had indeed arrived.

Li Fu was greatly encouraged.

Is it a celestial being descending from the heavens?

The ultimate sword technique that appeared before, along with the Wind-Walking Willow Sword.

Although this is not the internal skill he wants most right now.

"A sword comes from the west, like a celestial being descending from the heavens, with unparalleled grace and sword light as sharp as lightning, like a rainbow traversing the sky, its brilliance and splendor unlike anything found in the mortal world, truly unique in the world."

This is a different path from the lofty and ethereal swordplay of the Returning Wind and Dancing Willow Sword. Although it is not as neat as the 49 moves of the Returning Wind and Dancing Willow Sword, it is unmatched in its brilliant and dazzling killing power.

With the Six Meridian Divine Sword, Li Fu was no longer limited by weapons, and the peerless sword technique could further enhance the power of the Six Meridian Divine Sword. Naturally, he would not miss the opportunity to obtain such an amazing sword technique.

Li Fu's eyes lit up, and he said, "I heard that Zuo Yuncheng, the head镖师 (chief镖师) of the Yihe镖局 (escort agency) who was convicted of failing in his duty to escort the imperial silver, and his son Zuo Ji, are also imprisoned here?"

"Yes."

"Where are they being held? Take me there."

"In cells number three and four of the Jia-class prison."

Ma Shixiong quickly led the way, with Zhu Bo following behind.

After passing through the cold, dimly lit corridor and arriving at the deepest part of the prison, Zhu Bo pointed to two adjacent cells and said, "This is it."

Li Fu peered through the iron bars of the prison door.

On the left, in the cell, a middle-aged man in his forties was sitting against the wall. Although he was wearing prison clothes, his hair was disheveled, and his face was not visible.

But he was tall and strong, with broad shoulders and a thick back. In particular, his hands had large knuckles. At this moment, he was bowing his head and speaking silently, his face was gloomy, and his every move exuded a heroic aura.

This man was none other than Yun Cheng, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Yihe镖局 (Yihe Escort Agency).

Those who have made a name for themselves in the martial arts world with their unique weapons are all true masters of martial arts.

Zuo Yuncheng was renowned throughout the north for his pair of iron axes and halberds. In addition, he was generous and righteous, had a wide circle of friends, and was respected by both the legitimate and criminal worlds. He managed the Yihe Escort Agency with great success, making him a well-known figure in the escort industry in the north and even the whole country.

But now, he has become a prisoner, and all his former glory has vanished like water.

The cell on the right is where a young man in his early twenties is imprisoned; he is Zuo Yuncheng's only son, Zuo Ji.

In stark contrast to his father, he was now anxiously clutching his head in his cramped cell, his face filled with fear, resentment, and despair, showing none of the former high spirits of the young master of the Yihe Escort Agency.

Hearing footsteps and voices outside, Zuo Ji, like a frightened bird, turned his gaze toward the iron bars of the window.

When he saw that it was Li Fu standing outside the cell, his eyes suddenly lit up, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw, but he was limited by the shackles nailed to the wall and could not reach the door.

"Officer Li! Is that Officer Li Fu, the one who can unleash the Divine Dragon Palm, standing outside?"

I recognize you. I saw your golden face once from afar outside the Yanzhou government office!

Officer Li, please, save my son and me! We are really not traitors, we did not collude with the thieves!

The tax silver was stolen; it has nothing to do with our Shuanghe Escort Agency!

The news—wherever the news leaked from, it certainly didn't come from us. We're innocent, utterly innocent!

He spoke very quickly, his voice trembling with sobs, as if he had been overwhelmed by immense fear and injustice these past few days and was on the verge of collapse.

This young master of Shuanghe and Biaoping usually relies on his father's influence and is considered a person of importance in Yanzhou. He has never suffered such hardship before.

Now imprisoned and on the brink of life and death, Fang Yi has long since lost his touch.

"A dragon unleashed from the palm?"

Hearing his son's shouts from the cell next door, Zuo Yuncheng also suddenly raised his head and looked out of the cell.

When he saw Li Fu, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask for help or defend himself, but his eyes flickered, and he seemed to think of something. He sighed, slumped down, and didn't say a word.

Seeing that Li Fu had no intention of speaking to him, Zhu Bo stepped forward, closed the iron window of Zuo Ji's prison door, blocking his desperate gaze and pleas, and sighed.

"It's probably too late to say anything now."

Shuang and Biaoping, how glorious they were in their past!

I was fortunate enough to attend Zuo Da Biao's 40th birthday banquet. The banquet was filled with distinguished guests, what a grand occasion!

But this is the price of taking on the emperor's challenge.

If the delivery is done well, one will naturally become famous and gain an official status, elevating Biao Ping to a higher level.

"If the mission fails, regardless of the reason, losing the imperial court's money is a capital offense."

A father and son in distress in a prison cell.

One screamed in despair, the other fell silent in despair.

The world of martial arts is a treacherous place, and even a renowned figure can be brought down in an instant.

At the same time, a slightly absurd conjecture flashed through Li Fu's mind.

If the thief who stole the tax money was indeed disguised as a doorman, what was his purpose?

Who got caught in the trap set by their scheme?

Currently, only Shuang and Biaoping are able to be identified.

We can't let the fearsome Yishanmen, who are terrified in the martial arts world, secretly and painstakingly fabricate a major case just to frame Zuo Yuncheng and his son, and bring down Shuang and Biaoping, can we?

In the prison cell, the doors and windows were tightly shut. He received no response, only a despairing silence. A few rays of sunlight shone through the cracks in the high window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the cell.

Zuo Ji leaned against the cold wall, staring blankly at the faint light, wondering if his master would be able to walk out of this iron prison alive and see the sun outside.

In a daze, he thought of his wife, the woman who had given him a son, Ying'er.

Ying'er was gentle and considerate, with a unique charm. Although she was once a singer, in his eyes she was the best woman in the world.

But just a few days before the Zuo family accepted the imperial mission and were about to set off to escort the emperor, Ying'er mysteriously disappeared.

He was extremely anxious and searched everywhere, but there was no news at all.

At that time, the deadline for the imperial examination was tight, and his father, Zuo Yuncheng, had strictly ordered him not to delay due to personal matters, so he could only put it aside for the time being, but he kept it on his mind.

Now that he was in dire straits, Zuo Ji felt a sense of relief when he thought of Ying'er.

Perhaps—Ying'er's disappearance is actually a good thing?

The imperial court is currently only focused on investigating the whereabouts of the tax silver; surely no one will bother to hunt down an insignificant woman?

At least the oriole is safe outside.

Thinking of this, Zuo Ji couldn't help but turn around and whisper to his father in the next cell through the wall, "Father—"

Do you know where Ying'er ran off to?

She must be safe now, right?

In another cell, when Zuo Yuncheng heard his son mention Ying'er, his brows furrowed suddenly, and the flesh on his face twitched, revealing a look of pain.

He remained silent for a while before saying in a hoarse voice, "Don't mention this person again."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Ji's suppressed resentment resurfaced.

Why can't we mention it?

She's your daughter-in-law!

Father, you have always been prejudiced against Ying'er. Although she used to be a singer who played the zither for others, she also came from an official family. When her family fell into decline, she had no choice but to become a prostitute.

Given our status as members of the martial arts world, it's impossible to say who is trying to climb the social ladder.

Moreover, Ying'er is virtuous and upright, she sells her body but not her husband. After marrying into our Zuo family, she has never done anything to betray our Zuo family.

She even gave birth to a son for our Zuo family, continuing our bloodline. Is that still not enough to earn your recognition?

Zuo Yuncheng closed his eyes in pain, let out a long sigh as if a thousand-pound burden was pressing on his heart, but in the end he did not speak again, only his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked.

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